How to come prepared for every costume party and not break the bank

The best part of CSU’s social events are the parties. From 80s prom night to Christmas in July, just about everything is celebrated, which means you need a costume for each of them too. But buying costumes week after week will be expensive.

So, check out these tips on how to dress the part and stay below budget!

Use what you already own

This is simple, but oh-so-handy. Those bright, ugly patterned clothes you never wore would be perfect to mix and match for different occasions. An old school tie, bandana or even material you have at home is great to start off an outfit.

Accessorise

You can wear some of your simpler, plain clothes and dress them up with makeup, jewellery and other accessories that you may already have or can be found in dollar stores. (Excessive makeup is perfect for decade-themed parties!)

Go op-shopping

Vinnies or Red Cross have plenty of daggy or 80s-style clothing and accessories that you can buy at prices you’ll be grinning at. The lovely staff know you’ll be looking for costumes so they’re happy to help out and may even offer discounts!

Sharing is caring

Senior students come prepared with a costume box that they’ve been collecting over their uni years and are usually happy to lend some out. As a dorm, plan what you could all wear together and see who has what (it saves money and time!). You could create a whole outfit just from borrowing bits and pieces.

Most importantly remember, your whole outfit may not end up lasting the night and that party may be the only time you wear those clothes. So, it’s not worth breaking the bank over, opt for the cheaper solutions and get creative because dressing up is the best part of any party!

Author:Nikita Kumar

Hi! I’m Nikita and I’m in my third and final year of Communications - Journalism at CSU. I'm the Editor of Charlie and look forward to sharing my love for writing and showcasing people's stories in this space.
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